Beam for railroad-track foundations.



Patented Aug. I2, I902.

L. B. WEST.

BEAM FDR RAILROAD TRACK FOUNDATIONS.

' -App1icaticn filer! Decv 14, 190 M I) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

v LAlVRENCE B. WEST, OF CINCINNATI, OI-IIO.

BEAM FOR RAILROAD-TRACK FOUNDA-TlONS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 706,619, dated August 12, 1902.

Application filed December 14, 1901. Serial No. 85,996. (No modch) To a whom it hwy concern.-

Be it known that I, LAWRENCE B. West, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improved Beam for Railroad-Track Foundations Constructed of Bitu miuous Concrete, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a longitudinal beam or foundation for railwaytracks which will firmly support therails, can be quickly and conveniently laid, willreadily set or harden to permit the operation of cars upon the track soon after it is laid, will possess a degree of elasticity to relieve the wear and tear upon the i'ollingstock, and which can be raised and tamped up at any point Without damaging the said beam or founda tion.

With the above objects ,in view the invention consists of a longitudinal beam or foundation for railway-tracks composed of asphalt, coal-tar, or other bituminous products mixed with sand, crushed stone, and like material. laid and tamped at the sides and bottom of the rail.

The invention further consists in the particular construction of the beam or .founda tion and its arrangement with respect'to the track-rail.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, the view is a sectional perspective view of my improved track-beam.

In carrying out my invention the beam or foundation is composed of asphalt, coal-tar, or other bituminous products mixed with sand, crushed stone, granite, slag, or other material of a like nature in proper proportions, according to the hardness and elasticit'y required. These ingredients are thoroughly mixed and heated to a plastic condi-' tion, and the material so formed is laid at the sides and under the track-rail and taniped to give the proper" solidity and shape to the beam. In this waythe rail is embedded in the beam with the tread portion thereof flush with the upper-{surface of said beam,whereby the said rail is firmly and securely held in place. It will be understood, of course, that in laying the beamwherethe"surface of the ad joining pavement or ground is to be on a level,

or nearly so, with the top of the rail a trench is first dug of suitable Width and depth and the rail temporarily supported therein during the operation of tamping the material around the same. After the material sets and hardens, which takes place very rapidly-within a fewhours-cars may be run upon the track. The rails may be trued after the material has set or hardened, as the elasticity or yielding nature of the composition will permit it to be raised and moved laterally at any point a slight distance without damaging the construction of the beam.

As shown in the accompanying drawing, the beam,(designated by the letter A) is preferably wider at the base portion a than at the upper parta the sides of the latter converging slightlyto the top, as shown, while the base portion is-rectangul'ar in cross-section.

Under ordinaryconditions the beam will have a depth of about sixteen inches, a width of about sixteen inches at the base, and a Width at the top of about teninches; but these dimensions may be variedto suit conditions of traflic'and paving. In every'instance, however, the rail'B is disposedin the center of the upper portion of the beam, and the said rail is provided with the usual base-flange to insure a proper bearing in thebeam, the lat- .ter extending under said flange a suitable depth. 7

The advantages of a longitudinal trackbeam constructed in accordance with my invention are many. Such a beam can be quickly and conveniently laid, and as it rapidly hardens cars may be operated upon the track a few hours after it is constructed. This is of great importance to heavily-congested lines in large cities, where the loss of trackage during the period of construction would result in demoralizing a running-schedule of numerous lines which are compelled to pass over one track. Such a condition is almost entirely obviated, inasmuch as the track is ready to operate over Within a fewhours, or as soon as'the artificialheat has left the as: phalt or other bituminous product used. Another important advantage is the fact that the asphalt or bituminous beam may be-raised and tamped up-to the'proper level without damaging the beam construction, so that any settling of the road-bed or spreading of the rails may be readily and quickly readjusted and Without suspending operating of cars.

claim 1. A longitudinal track-beam surrounding the sides and bottom of a rail and composed of asphalt, coal-tar or other bituminous products mixed with sand, crushed stone and like material.

2. A longitudinal track-beam composed of asphalt, coal-tar or other bituminous products mixed with sand, crushed stone and like material laid at the sides and beneath the rail ucts mixed with sand, crushed stone and like material, and laid at the sides and beneath the rail and tamped so that said rail will be embedded and supported therein, the said beam being wider at the base than at the top.

4. A longitudinal'track-beam composed of asphalt, coal-tar or other bituminous product mixed with sand, crushed stone or like material laid at the sides and beneath the rail, the top of the beam being flush with the top of the rail.

5; In a longitudinal track-beam for railways, the combination with the rail having a base-flange, of a beam composed of asphalt, coal-tar or other bituminous products mixed with sand, crush stone or similar material, and laid andtamped at the sides and beneath the base-flange of the rail, so that the said rail will be embedded in the beam.

L. B. WEST Witnesses:

MARY Z. REUTER, J. H. MACDONALD. 

